Newcastle United midfielder Sean Steur has insisted that he’s not concerned with a lack of minutes under Matthias Jaissle in recent weeks.
The 18-year-old moved to Newcastle in the summer in a €23.5m deal from Ajax as the Magpies pivoted to focusing on young talent for the future.
He arrived at the club as a relatively inexperienced Ajax youth product, having only made 26 first team appearances for the Dutch club during his time there. He had played plenty for them in their youth sections, though.
The assumption was that he was very much one for the future because of that, but he instead started the season as a regular for Newcastle.
He started the Premier League opener – a 2-2 draw with Liverpool – with a 56-minute appearance before then playing 71 minutes against Leeds and 66 minutes against Hull before the first international break.
Lack of minutes
However, following that break he spent the next two games – against Coventry and Aston Villa – sat on the bench. He then managed five minutes against Crystal Palace and 26 minutes against Everton.
His 74 minutes in Newcastle’s 1-1 draw with Fulham last weekend was the first time he’d managed more than an hour in the league since the middle of September. Even the EFL Cup has not provided any additional minutes.
He played 65 minutes against West Brom back in August but was only given a minute against Millwall and nine against Everton.
That’s led to some calls from the Newcastle fan base for the midfielder to be given his shot. The youngster is very much a fan favourite for the Magpies already.
What the player is thinking now
Steur, though, is not concerned. He was asked directly about his situation and insisted the lack of minutes are not concerning for him.
“No, I think last period I played a lot. Now I played a little less,” he said.
“The last match I did play in the starting lineup again. But I wasn’t necessarily very worried. I just think uh, yeah, I assumed that I would be here. I don’t think too much about it or anything. But I haven’t really had any contact with anyone here (Netherlands U21s).
“No, never doubt. Sometimes that you play a little less just belongs to the process, belongs to the club you are in. Yeah, it’s just a task to then make sure that you come in as quickly as possible and with the minutes and chances that you get, do as well as possible.
“But no, no doubts. I still feel very much in my place there. I’m just calm. It can be fun, but I’m just calm in the sense of eh, yeah, just trust in yourself and eh your opportunity will come anyway. Yeah, just don’t panic quickly, I would say.
“I just think that I don’t really overthink about, about, for example if you play one match less well that you’re then directly. Of course I want to play. Every player wants to play every minute. But there is no reason to panic if that doesn’t happen.”
